The event, titled Women Mean Business, featured Maria Grace Uy, president and co-founder of Converge ICT Solutions Inc., and Ana Lorenzana De Ocampo, CEO and president of Wildflour Group, as key speakers.
UBS Philippines country head Robby Go emphasized the bank’s commitment to empowering women in finance and entrepreneurship.
“UBS is committed to empower women and increase their financial confidence. Over the years, we have seen an increase in the number of women participating in the workforce, reflecting a rise in economic empowerment. Here in the Philippines, we have seen strong growth in the number of women entrepreneurs and their contribution to society,” she said.
During the panel, Uy shared the journey of launching Converge ICT with her husband, aiming to provide world-class internet connectivity to Filipinos. Today, Converge is among the country’s top internet service providers.
Meanwhile, De Ocampo recounted her transition from working in her family business to founding Wildflour Café + Bakery in Bonifacio Global City. Her venture has since expanded into five restaurant concepts with 16 branches across Metro Manila.
The speakers emphasized the qualities that empower women entrepreneurs, such as resilience, integrity, and long-term vision. Women are passionate about what they do and focused on doing it right, they advised aspiring entrepreneurs.
Since its launch in the Philippines last year, the Women and Finance dialogue series has engaged over 100 women leaders, discussing topics ranging from financial literacy to team building and overcoming challenges in entrepreneurship. Past speakers include prominent figures like Anna Ma. Margarita Dy, CEO of Ayala Land Inc., and Rowie Zamora, chief strategy officer of GCash.
The event underscores UBS’s advocacy for increasing women’s financial independence while fostering a supportive community for women entrepreneurs in the Philippines.